Marvel Comics Revives Controversial SWIMSUIT SPECIAL 30 Years After Cancellation; First Artwork Released

30 years after the concept was shelved, Marvel Comics has revived its controversial Swimsuit Special to tie in with a new Marvel Rivals Summer update...

News

By MarkCassidy - Apr 18, 2025 08:04 AM EST

Filed Under: Marvel Comics

Source: Marvel.com

Three decades after being shelved by Marvel Comics, the Marvel Swimsuit Special is returning for modern audiences to tie in with a new Marvel Rivals Summer update.

A parody of Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Special, the Marvel Swimsuit Special was cancelled back in the mid-90s in the midst of continued criticism for its objectification of characters (though we don't know for certain that this is why the concept was scrapped).

The new comic book will release in July after a “long-demanded return” to tie in with Marvel Rivals, and will feature designs for new costumes coming to the game. Players will be able to purchase new swimsuit skins for popular heroes, such as Storm, Scarlet Witch, The Incredible Hulk and more.

This new take in the Swimsuit Special will also have a story, "so you can pretend you’re reading it for the articles."

"Roxxon Comics is at it again when they release their own UNAUTHORIZED SWIMSUIT SPECIAL! Wasp is on the case and seizes the opportunity for Marvel’s heroes to do their OWN swimwear fashion shoot all over the world!"

Marvel announces the return of THE MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL this July, featuring your favorite heroes soaking up the sun in style!

The one-shot will also debut designs for in-game costumes coming soon to Marvel Rivals! pic.twitter.com/McbN5WFOLj
— Nerdtropolis (@Nerdtropolis) April 17, 2025

Primarily an artist showcase, Marvel Swimsuit Special presented pinups from the industry’s top talents in a magazine-style format, complete with tongue-in-cheek articles and descriptions. Each year, a light-hearted plot brought the heroes to a different setting, from the jungles of the Savage Land to the shores of Monster Island.

MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: FRIENDS, FOES & RIVALS #1 continues the tradition with an overarching story by Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs and drawn by superstar artist Nick Bradshaw that stars Earth's Mightiest fashion designer, Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp! In addition to Bradshaw, fans can look forward to unforgettable, instantly-iconic imagery from top artists like Nic Klein, Marguerite Sauvage, Luciano Vecchio, and more. The issue will also include designs for new costumes coming soon to Marvel Rivals, the mega popular multiplayer video game from Marvel Games and NetEase Games.

MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: FRIENDS, FOES & RIVALS #1

Written by TIM SEELEY & TONY FLEECS

Art by NICK BRADSHAW, NIC KLEIN, MARGUERITE SAUVAGE, LUCIANO VECCHIO & MORE

Wraparound Cover by ADAM HUGHES

Wraparound Variant Cover by MARK BROOKS

Variant Cover by TAURIN CLARKE

Variant Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

On Sale 7/9

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43 Comments

1 2

Wahhvacado - 4/18/2025, 8:01 AM

Rivals is going to make a ton off of these

harryba11zack - 4/18/2025, 8:07 AM

the mcu needs to adopt this heroic story to film as soon as possible

Bond - 4/18/2025, 8:48 AM

@harryba11zack -

Yessch! Right, heroic story indeed. Most of us totally share your positive and well cultured opinion on this. Excellent stuff! 😊

Usernametaken - 4/18/2025, 8:09 AM

The entertainment industry is healing.

Simonsonrules - 4/18/2025, 8:32 AM

@Usernametaken - yeah. Soft porn really needed a comeback.

newhire13 - 4/18/2025, 8:43 AM

@Usernametaken - Because you can now pleasure yourself to some dude’s drawings? Weirdo

Chaos200 - 4/18/2025, 9:17 AM

@newhire13 - Absolutely!

Feralwookiee - 4/18/2025, 10:05 AM

@newhire13 - It's really not much different than pleasuring yourself to some dude's recordings of other people having sex.

FrankenDad - 4/18/2025, 10:10 AM

@newhire13 - Yes. It’s nostalgia based masturbation. The glory of your increased pre-teen heart rate at the sight of scantly clad Marvel heroines in their beach wear come flooding back.

I’m preordering now.

NonPlayerC - 4/18/2025, 10:35 AM

@FrankenDad - pretty sure I had some comic book pages stuck together in those preteen years

MakeAmericaGrea - 4/18/2025, 10:57 AM

@newhire13 -

Would it make a difference if a woman drew them?

Notice how liberals like saying dudes, but not chicks?

And White dudes, but not Native American, Aborigine, Asian, Latino, or black dudes?

Usernametaken - 4/18/2025, 2:00 PM

@newhire13 - To clarify my point, I mean that Marvel/disney is finally remembering who gives them money and what they like.

It's okay for entertainment to be sexy, that's all. Not everything needs to be family friendly or inclusive.

Clintthahamster - 4/18/2025, 2:24 PM

@newhire13 - See, back in the 20th century, there was no internet, so unless your dad had some Playboys stashed somewhere, you had to make do with what you had. JC Penny catalog, Club MTV, free HBO weekends, and, yes, comic books, especially the Marvel Swimsuit Issue. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

HashTagSwagg - 4/18/2025, 8:10 AM

Where is the Silver Surfer?

Bond - 4/18/2025, 8:53 AM

@HashTagSwagg -

"Why is the Silver Surfer?!?" 😆
- Drax ( He says somewhere in a galaxy far, far away. Maybe. Standing still, practicing being invisible... )

MakeAmericaGrea - 4/18/2025, 10:59 AM

@HashTagSwagg -

He doesn't wear clothes.

He hangs Ken dong.

GeneralZod - 4/18/2025, 8:19 AM

Did I wake up into a multiverse?

KaptainKhaos - 4/18/2025, 8:26 AM

Looks like Gooning is back, lads!

Reeds2Much - 4/18/2025, 8:29 AM

"I'm Troy McClure, and I'll leave you with what we all came here to see; Hardcore nudity!"

Skestra - 4/18/2025, 9:32 AM

@Reeds2Much - That's hot!

Simonsonrules - 4/18/2025, 8:30 AM

Definitely rethought with multiple tastes in mind. I remember Image did one of these, too. Their were at least two issues of the Marvel version. We sold all of them immediately lol.

dragon316 - 4/18/2025, 8:34 AM

What was Controversial about books ? Women and men swimsuits bit skimpy

bobevanz - 4/18/2025, 8:36 AM

Marvel Rivals is so great!

CaptainFlapjaks - 4/18/2025, 10:40 AM

@bobevanz - and the fact they put spidey and psylocke on the cover together. Clearly playing into those marvel rivals memes and fanfics i see. Id be open to seeing that blossom if mj is with this paul guy now.

slickrickdesigns - 4/18/2025, 8:44 AM

Controversial? I mean, when I was a little kid, X-Men comics used to show more skin than all these bathing suits. Emma Frost alone wore some scandalous, sexy outfits.

Simonsonrules - 4/18/2025, 8:44 AM

Mark, looking back on this I think perhaps the market crash played some role in the cancellation of the swimsuit issues. Looks like they stopped appearing around that time

SATW42 - 4/18/2025, 8:56 AM

this is so weird. I'm not offended by it, I don't want to yuck anyone's yum, but for me, this is weird.

BringFFtoMCU - 4/18/2025, 9:05 AM

Wokeness is dying. The world is healing.

Chaos200 - 4/18/2025, 9:19 AM

@BringFFtoMCU - It's kinda ironic cos they left/liberals were the ones who made everything sexy in the first place. They just didn't like that men were in charge of it, god forbid men knowing what other men want.

MaxPaint - 4/18/2025, 10:02 AM

CAPTAINPINKEYE - 4/18/2025, 10:05 AM

Controversial?
States has a president that grabs them from the pussy.
This is fine.

IronMan616 - 4/18/2025, 2:23 PM

@CAPTAINPINKEYE - the prior president had trans topless showing off their fake tits and the other one showing off their zipper tits on the white house lawn, but go ahead and cry about a comment.

CAPTAINPINKEYE - 4/18/2025, 2:59 PM

@IronMan616 - they’re all full of shit and in bed with the 1% wealthy.

NonPlayerC - 4/18/2025, 10:41 AM

who is that emo guy in the pool wearing long pants? was about to comment on all the guys wearing speedos but that's by far more odd

thebamf - 4/18/2025, 11:46 AM

@NonPlayerC - It looks like tattered pants... Bruce Banner maybe?

MakeAmericaGrea - 4/18/2025, 11:02 AM

Are they gonna put men in bikinis?

I feel like liberals want to put men in bikinis.

Liberals gonna put men in budgie smugglers.

Carol Danvers holding up the non canon Doctor is lame.

grif - 4/18/2025, 11:17 AM

now im going to buy marvel comics again.

nope

[frick] this company

micvalpro - 4/18/2025, 11:26 AM

1stDalek - 4/18/2025, 9:14 PM

@micvalpro - G-string Colossus needs to be 1 of his alt outfits whenever they add him to Marvel Rivals.

EarlChai - 4/18/2025, 3:06 PM

I’m aroace, so 🤷‍♀️, but I feel like Rogue in a bathing suit is a bad idea…

1 2

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Marvel Comics Revives Controversial SWIMSUIT SPECIAL 30 Years After Cancellation; First Artwork Released

30 years after the concept was shelved, Marvel Comics has revived its controversial Swimsuit Special to tie in with a new Marvel Rivals Summer update...

Marvel Comics Reveals First Look At The Ultimate Scarlet Witch And Quicksilver In July's ULTIMATES #14

STAR WARS: Shawn Levy's Movie Starring Ryan Gosling Gets Official Title & First Story Details

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.